THE ORIGINS OF FORCED INTERNMENT ARE DIRECTLY TRACED TO THE BREAKUP OF FEUDALISM, WHICH CAUSED AN INFLUX INTO THE CITIES OF EX-FARM WORKERS WHO EITHER COULD NOT BE RETRAINED OR COULD NOT BE ABSORBED INTO THE DEVELOPING MANUFACTURE SYSTEM AT A FAST ENOUGH RATE. INSTITUTIONS WERE THUS CREATED IN ENGLAND DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY TO SUBMIT VAGRANTS, VAGABONDS, THIEVES, AND MISDEMEANANTS TO OBLIGATORY WORK AND A RIGID DISCIPLINE: THESE INSTITUTIONS WERE ALTERNATELY CALLED WORKHOUSES, HOUSES OF CORRECTION, OR 'BRIDEWELLS' AFTER A PARTICULARLY CELEBRATED PRISON. THE GENESIS OF SIMILAR PENAL FACILITIES IN OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES (HOLLAND, GERMANY, AND FRANCE) AND THE CONDITIONS WHICH PREVAILED IN THEM ARE RECOUNTED. ITALIAN PRISONS EVOLVED LATER BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM AND THE FACTORY DEVELOPED THERE AT A SLOWER RATE: THE STEP OF USING INTERNMENT INSTITUTIONS IN VIEW OF PRODUCTION NEEDS OF A GROWING CAPITALIST ECONOMY WAS THEREFORE SKIPPED IN ITALY, AND ITALIAN PRISONS ADAPTED THEMSELVES IMMEDIATELY TO THE DETERRENT FUNCTION OF IMPRISONMENT EVIDENCED BY THE MORE ADVANCED EUROPEAN NATIONS BY THE BEGINNING OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. A DISCUSSION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRISONS IN THE UNITED STATES PAYS PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE PHILADELPHIA PENITENTIARY SYSTEM, WHICH HAD A PURELY PUNITIVE FUNCTION, AND TO THE AUBURN SYSTEM, WHICH INCORPORATED THE CONCEPT OF 'COMMON WORK' AND SOLITARY CONFINEMENT. CONVICT LABOR AS AN ECONOMICAL BUSINESS IS ILLUSTRATED BY THE CONTRACT SYSTEM, IN WHICH THE PRISONER WAS SUBJECT BOTH TO THE PRISON ADMINISTRATION AND TO PRIVATE INDUSTRY IN THE FORM OF A CONTRACTOR. THE SECOND PART OF THE BOOK DISCUSSES THE PRISON AS A 'HUMAN FACTORY' AND EXPLORES THE THEORY OF THE PENITENTIARY SYSTEM AS A MODEL OF THE IDEAL SOCIETY. THE CONCLUSION EXAMINES THE CONTRACTUAL REASONS AND DISCIPLINARY NECESSITY BEHIND THE CONCEPT OF IMPRISONMENT. APPENDIXES COVER THE SUBORDINATION OF INSTITUTIONALIZED PERSONS AND ADMINISTRATIVE SOVEREIGNTY IN THE 'SILENT SYSTEM.' AN INDEX IS PROVIDED. --IN ITALIAN.